Yep – Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese.

The poor pumpkin has long been gutted, carved, and relegated to the front steps. And when it does appear in recipes, often it’s fake or from a can. But we at Volume One think more of this autumn staple, and asked some creative culinary contributors to search for recipes that honor this seasonal treat the way it deserves.
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Pumpkin Mac 'n' Cheese
from Healthy Food for Living

8 oz pasta (preferably whole wheat)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup 1% low-fat milk

2 oz (about 4 Tbsp) 1/3-less-fat neufchatel cream cheese

1 cup fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese (can sub monterey jack)

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8-1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, whisk together and heat pumpkin puree and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Reduce stove heat to low. Whisk in cheeses until fully melted. Stir in nutmeg and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Stir drained pasta into the pumpkin-cheese sauce and mix until thoroughly combined. At this point, the mac & cheese might appear a bit soupy. If this is the case, let the mixture sit off of the heat for a few minutes. The cheese sauce will firm up as it slightly cools. Serve with an extra dusting of nutmeg, if desired.

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Pumpkin Seed Salsa
from Chez Us

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/3 cups raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups chopped cilantro

1 1/2 cups water

Cook chile, garlic, cumin, and pumpkin seeds in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until seeds pop, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer 3 tablespoons seeds with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve. Purée remaining seeds and oil with cilantro, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth. Try on enchiladas!


Pumpkin Lasagna 
from Trissalicious

1 kilo pumpkin

150 grams unsalted butter 

50 grams butter

1 vanilla bean, scraped

400 grams ricotta

1 egg

pinch of nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Lasagna noodles

100 grams parmesan cheese

10 sage leaves

20 grams toasted hazelnuts

To make the pumpkin puree, peel the pumpkin and dice into 2 inch cubes. Heat the 150 grams of butter in a pan and add the pumpkin once melted. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and cook the pumpkin until soft enough to cut with a spoon (about 20 min). Stir the pumpkin once in a while to make sure it doesn’t catch to the bottom of the pan. Once the pumpkin is soft, blend or process until smooth. Set aside. Mix the ricotta, egg and nutmeg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Grease a baking pan with olive oil and lay sheets of cooked pasta to cover the bottom. Layer a third of the pumpkin and top with more  lasagna sheets. Top with a third of the ricotta mixture and the cover again with lasagna sheets. Now add half of the remaining pumpkin and cover with lasagna sheets. Add half of the remaining ricotta and again, more lasagna sheets. Finally, spread the remaining pumpkin and on top the rest of the ricotta. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350º for 30 min, or until the cheese is golden brown. Heat the remaining butter in a small sauce pan until it goes nutty brown. Add the sage. Top with the toasted hazelnuts.